By the time Winter LeBlanc handed out the DIY felt crowns his mom made as party favors to the crowd, most of the couple hundred people that had been in attendance had dispersed.
LeBlanc and Wiki Good were about to put on the closing number to the inaugural western Massachusetts hip-hop festival, hosted by Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center on Saturday. Though much of the crowd that had been rocking out since 1 p.m. had dwindled, Wiki Good, the organizer of The Foundation festival that featured two dozen regional rap acts, didn’t seem fazed.
It was now nearly 10 p.m. as the group’s lead man, Streeter “Syqe” Elliott, 21, grabbed the mic. He congratulated those who had hung around all day. It’s been “a full work-day’s worth of supporting local music,” he said before Wiki Good’s set. “You could’ve made like $100, but I think you made the right choice.”
Those that remained were loved ones, like significant others and family members, along with the diehard fans of the group that was formed, in part, out of a collective that went to Frontier Regional School, and some of whom now live in a part-home, part-studio in Bernardston.
The idea for The Foundation came just a couple months ago. Originally, Elliott had thought about putting together a Spotify music streaming playlist of songs from western Massachusetts rappers. Then, with the assistance of Hawks & Reed’s co-manager Ben Goldsher, it grew into a summer festival — the first that anyone seems to remember.
Originally, the day was expected to conclude with a concert by the legendary Harlem rapper Cam’ron, but he reportedly backed out of his engagement. What the change did, though, was put the focus solely on local rappers, who were no longer opening for a national act, but rather putting on for themselves and their respective communities.
Split between two stages, a main one in Hawks & Reed and a downstairs one in The Wheelhouse, different rappers brought out their crews. For some, it was a litmus test to the strength of their fan base. For others, it was the first time they had ever performed. For many, it was a day that clearly would live on in their memory.
The event saw just under 300 people enjoying a rap show with no one on the bill that had more than a few hundred followers on Soundclound, in a world typically defined by thousands of followers. It drew in mostly folks who weren’t old enough to have a wristband that said they could buy an adult beverage.
For those who remember what their first concert was like, or the first one that meant a lot to them, this was that show for some, creating a memory for the youngsters who descended upon Main Street for a rap show in their backyard.
Goldsher remembers growing up with the idea that he had to go to Boston to see a major rap act. Turners Falls rapper Daniel Delgado-McMormack, “The Don Gadi,” remembers going to what was then known as The Arts Block with his family to see musical acts that were anything but rap. Saturday, though, he was one of the acts, delivering unreleased music alongside Greenfield rapper MaKuhmilli.
All the while, western Massachusetts dance crew Crazefaze held a break dance session upstairs in the space of the Silverthorne Theater Company (and before a jazz concert later in the evening). When Wiki Good came on stage, the break dancers, along with others including a father and his toddler son, formed a dance circle.
A Greenfield graffiti artist showcased his work (and his break dancing skills) during the course of the day, which was originally intended to be outside in Energy Park and in the alleyway next to the Pushkin Gallery, but was moved inside because of the pouring rain.
Downstairs on the more intimate Wheelhouse stage, some artists found their space. Female emcee Britt Koff set the tone early in the day with splintering bars, while wearing a “Notorious RBG” tank-top as both an homage to the Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the all-time great rapper Notorious BIG. Later on, rap group Disorderly Konduct kept the crowd bouncing with raw energy for an extended set.
During the two most well-attended performances — by Ish Akanour and Kwynn Reid — the fans they brought knew the words like those of a superstar. Some shrill sounds came from the crowd when Akanour came on stage, and out came the cell phones to record his every move.
For Wiki Good, its performers had been around all day before their night-ending set. Elliott had spent his day as an emcee, but in a more traditional sense. He announced next acts, shouted out sponsors and filled time during occasional lulls.
After a closing act by Wiki Good, Elliott handed off the mic and went over to his parents and girlfriend.
“Feeling tired,” were the first words out of the 21-year-old’s mouth. “I’m very, very happy though. I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better.”
Elliott said that when he graduated from Frontier in 2015, he never thought of anything like The Foundation ever happening. In fact, he had hardly even rapped. He was more focused on making electronic music, but he had linked up with the versatile rapper Ariq “Riqqy” Welch, and their music venture vaulted from there.
He later worked for Hawks & Reed as an assistant manager, all the while developing connections in the rap community up and down the Pioneer Valley.
“The reason I needed to make this happen is the only thing the scene lacks is organization,” he said. Maybe it’s a byproduct of rural isolation or a valley that’s more set up to keep folk and punk bands in touch as opposed to local rappers, Elliott said, but whatever it may be, he knew the rap scene would pop when someone did put on a festival.
Elliott was sporadically bombarded with people who wanted to talk him up after the show. One man was stuck at work all day. “Let me know when there’s another show like this,” he said, bummed he hadn’t arrived sooner. “There’s going to be a next time,” Elliott replied. Another man, wearing a Wiki Good beanie, came up to say, “Man, that whole thing; it was awesome. I just wanted to congratulate you.” Another, who went to Frontier with him, came up to say how pumped he was to perform for the first time, and to tell Elliott he’ll be dropping a mixtape soon.
“To have people like … ‘I want to be a part of that,’ that’s such a blessing,” Elliott said. The soft-spoken man often spoke about his blessings — about his loved ones who backed him, his dreams and vision for not only The Foundation, but for following his passions in life.
After our interview in the alleyway next to the concert venue, Elliott, who’s known simply as Streeter (his mother’s maiden name, too) and who was starting to seem like the mayor of hip-hop in Greenfield, sent one last thought by text.
“Something I didn’t say is it was really important for me beyond music too. Bringing people from Springfield and Greenfield and Northampton etc together. Low and higher economic status. That’s a long term goal of mine across all my passions. Is to bring those communities together.”
Staff reporter Joshua Solomon has worked at the Greenfield Recorder since 2017. His beat includes health, welfare and education. He previously wrote on the local hip-hop scene in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at jsolomon@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 264.